•  HON.  CHIEF  JAMES  MARAPE,  GCl,   MP;

•  HON.  SOROI   MARE PO EOE, CMG, MP;

•  SECRETARY    FOR   DEPARTMENT    OF   PROVINOAl        &  lOCAL lEVEL  GOVERNMENT  AFFAIRS,   MR PHIUP    lEOj

•  PROVINCIAL   ADMINISTORS;

•  DISllNGUISHED      GUESTS;  AND,

•  LADIES  AND GENTLEMEN.

OPENING   REMARKS

Good morning.

•   It is my distinct  honor  and privilege  to  stand  before  you  today.  On behalf    of     Secretary        Philip    Leo,   our     esteemed     Provindal Administrators,   and  the  wider  Papua New  GuInea  public  service,   1 extend a warm and heartfelt  welcome to each of you as we convene for the 2026  Provincial Administrators  Conference.

•    1 wish to offer  a very special welcome to the  Prime Minister, Hon. Chief James  Marape,   GeL,  MP,  and to the  Minister for  Provindal and   Local  Level  Government   Affairs,   Hon.   5orol    Marepo    Eoe, CMG,    MP.   Your   presence   here   today   sends   a   powerful   and reassuring  message to every Provlndal  Administrator  gathered  In this room-that      the   National   Government   stands firmly   committed   to strengthening   governance  and enhandng  service deJlvery across all levels of our government.

•   To  our   Provlndal   Administrators:    you  are  the   backbone  of  sub- national  governance  In Papua New Guinea. Your role  is not  mereJy procedural;   It  Is  Indispensable.  You  are  the  vital   bridge  between national   policy  and  the  everyday   realities  of  our  people,  In  every ward,   every  village,   and  every  remote   community   of  this  great nation.   Your  dedication   ensures   that   the   vision   of  government translates  Into meaningful  Impact for our dtizens.

CONTEXT:  THE YEAR OF RESET

•   Ladies and Gentlemen,     we gather  today  at a defining  moment  in Papua New Guinea’s  history.  We have just  passed the  milestone  of 50 years  of nationhood,  SO years of striving,  learning,  and building. And as we enter 2026, our collective theme rings dearly:  Reset, Recommit,  and  Dedicate for  a New Beginning.  These are not empty words.   That   is  predsely   the   spirit   In  which   this   conference   Is convened.

•   The  2026  National  Budget,  framed  under  the  theme  Security  with Growth,  reflects  this very ambition.  Prime Minister  Marape has been clear: without  economic security, institutional  security, and sodal security,   sustainable  growth   is  not  possible.  And  without   growth, security  remains  fragile.  These two  imperatives  are inseparable,  and they are at the heart of everything  we do as public servants.

THE ROLE OF PROVINOAL  ADMINISTRATORS

•   You, our  Provincial Administrators,   stand  at a critical  juncture   in the decentralisation    story  of  this  country.   Pangu  created  the  provindal government   system  In 1975, and this government  Is determined  to ensure  that  system works  better  for our people  In 2026 and beyond. The  Organic  Law on  Provlndal  and  local   Level  Governments  has served   us well,  but  we  must  now  deflne  with  greater  darlty   the functional   responsibilities  of  each tier  of  government,   the  national, provincial,  district,  and local·level.

•   The   Provlndal   and   Local  Level  Services  Monitoring   Authority   or PUSMA Is being realigned to become more responsive, more results- focused,  and more accountable  to the sub-national  sector. Iwant our Provlndal  Administrators  to fully embrace this realignment   You must be active partiCipants, not passive observers In thIs reform process.

THE RESET@50  REFORM ROADMAP

•    Ladles   and  Gentlemen,     In November last year, the  Prime Minister tabled  In Parliament  the  Reset PNG@50 Roadmap. Papua New Guinea’s   official   reform   blueprint   for   the   next   20   years.   This document   is  a  result  of  an  open,  rigorous,  and  Inclusive  national review   process  led  by  a  Steering    Committee     chaired    by   Mr Charles   Abel.   It Is not the work of one government.  It is the work of the nation.

•    The   Review  found   that   after   SO years,  progress has been slow and uneven;  that  our  human  development  indicators  remain  among  the lowest  in the Pacific; and that  the wealth from  our natural  resources has not always translated  into widespread prosperity  for our people. Reset@SO is  PNG’s decisive  answer  to  that challenge,  a  call  for national  reset In mindset,  institutions,  and leadership culbJre.

•    For us in the  public service and for you as Provindal  Administrators, this   Roadmap   is  our   compass.   It  demands   accountability    and transparency   at  every  level.  It demands  evidence-based   decision- making. It  demands   that    we   shift   from   business-as-usuaJ  to outcomes-cJriven  delivery.  And  it  demands  that  we  strengthen   our provindal   and  sub-national  governance  systems  so they  can  truly deliver for our people.

•   Therefore,  this  conference Is not just   a gathering,  It  Is a worldng session. It Is a platform for genuine dialogue, for honest assessment, and for forging the partnerships and commitments  that will cany  us forward.   I am confident  that  the  outcomes  of  this  conference will serve as the blueprint for the next phase of strengthening our provindal  administrations.

•    Mr Charles Abel will  present  tomorrow  on  the  RESET@50Agenda.

The 20-year reform  roadmap that  Is guiding our national renewal. I encourage   aU Provincial Administrators  again to  engage actively  In that session.

THE NATIONAL  MONITORING   AND COORDINATION AUTHORITY   (NMCA)

•   Ladies   and  Gentlemen,    let  me speak briefly  about  the  National Monitoring and   Coordination   Authority,   the    NMCA  which   was launched  by the  Prime Minister  in  mid  2025.  From  2019 to  2024 alone, our Government oversaw K131 billion in expenditure.  And the question  asked  is;  what  have  we  done  with  this  money?  Has  it translated   into  real,  tangible   improvements  for  the   lives  of  our people?

•   The NMCA is our answer to that  question.  It  is not  another  layer of bureaucracy.  It is  a  strategic  oversight  and  whole-of-government coordination  mechanism that  will  drive  disdpline,  transparency  and results-based systems.   It will   use  real-time   monitOring,   digital dashboards, GIS mapping and AI-enabled audits to track government

spending  from  Waigani  all  the  way  down  to the  ward  level.  Mr David     Wereh,    the    inaugural      CEO  of   the    NMCA,   will   be presenting    tomorrow    on   the   rationale   and   operations   of   the Authority,    and  I  encourage  all  of  you  to  engage  dosely   with   hrs presentation.

•   To borrow the words of Albert Einstein: “it Is Insanity to do the same thing over and over again while expecting different  results~ We must embrace decisive   and   transformational    change.    ~    Provindal Administrators, you   are   key  delivery  partners   of   the   NMCA’s mandate. I call on each of you to embrace this platform  and use it to strengthen  accountability In your respective provinces.

TODAY’S LANDMARK INITIATIVES

•   Ladies  and Gentlemen,    today, we will  witness  the  launch and presentation  of three important  initiatives that  I believe will  have a lasting and positive impact on governance at the sub-national level.

•   Arst,  we will  see the  launch of  the  National  Framework  for  Ward Development 2026-2036.  This Framework provides a structured  and nationally consistent approach to ward-level development  planning, ensuring that  growth  is planned, resourced, and delivered  from the grassroots  up.

•    Second, we  will  witness  the launch of  the  National  Ward  Record System.   A digital data platform that will give us accurate, up-to-date information    at    the    ward    level   to    support    evidence-based development   planning,   informed  decision-making,  and   equitable resource allocation. Good governance requires good data,  and  this System is a significant step in that direction.

•   And  third,   we  will   witness  the  Signing of   a  Memorandum  of Understanding between the Department of Provindai and Local level Government Affairs, CPA PNG, and the Auditor-Generalis Office. This MOU signals a shared and formal commitment between government and   the    accounting   and   audit   profession   to  transparency, accountability, and finandal  governance at the sutrnational   level. It Is a  statement   of  seriousness   that  we  Intend  to  account  for  fNery Kina entrusted  to us.

CONCLUSION

•    Ladies and Gentlemen,  let me dose with this reflection.

•    As   we   begin  another   SOyears of   our  journey,    we   must   Reset, Recommit,  and  Dedicate  ourselves  In 2026,  let us not  forget  why  we chose  public  service.  Let us choose excellence over mediocrity.    Let us choose   accountability    over   convenience.  And   let   us  choose   our people  always over ourselves.

•   With   those  remarks,  on  behalf  of  All  the  Departmental   Heads,  the Constitutional   OffICe Holders,  the  Heads of  Statutory   Bodies,  Senior Public Servants and the entire public service machinery, I warmly welcome   you  all  to  the  2026  Provindal  Administrators   Conference. let us make the most of these two days together.

•    God bless you all, and God  bless Papua New Guinea •